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Tanesha Mondestin

is a Research Associate at the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy’s Center for Children and Families.

Tanesha Mondestin is a Research Associate at the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy’s Center for Children and Families (CCF). Her work focuses on supporting state partners that have a focus on maternal and early childhood health. She also highlights opportunities to improve Medicaid and CHIP for young children, pregnant and postpartum women and their families.

Before joining CCF, Tanesha interned at the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs. She has also worked for the CDC Foundation, Maryland Department of Health, and Baltimore County Department of Health. She has experience working with non-profit organizations such as Life of Hope, where she worked on the Haitian Women’s Birth Equity initiative to try to bridge the gap between care that migrant women receive in Brooklyn, NY. She is passionate about health equity and Black maternal health.

Tanesha earned a Master of Science in Public Health in Population, Family, and Reproductive Health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her concentration was in maternal, fetal, and perinatal health. She also has Bachelor of Science degrees in Anthropology and Public Health Science at the University of Maryland College Park.

Latest From Tanesha

A Look at Maternal Health Legislation in the 118th Congress

By: Tanesha Mondestin and Kay Johnson Maternal health continues to be a priority for many Members of Congress. We previously scanned maternal health legislation that Members of Congress may consider in the 2022 “Lame Duck” session. We revisited this topic this election year to consider proposals pending in the 118th Congress as their chance of […]

Congressional Appropriations Proposals Cut Maternal Health Investments

By: Elisabeth Wright Burak, Kay Johnson, and Tanesha Mondestin In 2022, the maternal mortality rate for 2022 decreased to 22.3 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared with a rate of 32.9 in 2022. Black and Indigenous mothers have maternal mortality rates much higher than other racial/ethnic groups. And beyond the narrower category of maternal mortality […]

More States Expanding Medicaid/CHIP for Pregnant Women, Including Immigrants  

The 2024 Survey of Medicaid and CHIP Eligibility, Enrollment, and Renewal Policies conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Georgetown CCF highlights gains in maternal health coverage. Eleven states expanded coverage for pregnant people in the past year as detailed in the table below. Nevada, North Dakota, and Tennessee, increased income eligibility limits for pregnant […]

Massachusetts Governor Signs a Maternal Health Bill Expanding Access to Midwifery, Birth Centers and Doulas

On August 23rd, Governor Maura Healy of Massachusetts signed an act promoting access to midwifery care and out-of-hospital birth options into law. This comprehensive maternal health bill focused on expanding midwifery coverage to include certified professional midwives (CPMs), birth centers, doulas, and screening and treatment options for postpartum depression. MassHealth is Massachusetts Medicaid and CHIP […]

As More States Allow Medicaid Reimbursements for New Pregnancy-Related Services, Promoting Access Remains a Challenge

KFF and the Health Management Associates (HMA) released their 23rd Annual Medicaid Budget Survey for State Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024 in collaboration with the National Association of Medicaid Directors (NAMD).  This year’s survey includes findings about challenges and strategies in expanding non-traditional pregnancy-related services, such as doula care. In the U.S., Medicaid finances more […]